Anthony Thomas Monaghan to spend almost a decade behind bars, District Court

Anthony Thomas Monaghan told a psychologist who visited him at Long Bay correctional centre he enjoyed a relatively normal childhood with supportive parents and no abuse, yet at 23 years old he has spent the greater part of the last nine years locked up - so where did it all go wrong?

Appearing in the Griffith District Court on Wednesday Monaghan added almost another decade to his time in jail, after being sentenced to a further six years in prison to commence in 2020 after he completes a separate sentence.

The 23-year-old, who has a five-year-old daughter, will not be eligible for parole until August 15 2022.

Monaghan was facing court over string of offences he committed during a two-week period in April of last year.

The court heard he previously said he was intoxicated for all of these offences and estimated he had not slept for two weeks due to methylamphetamine use.

The offences included robbery in company causing wounding or grievous bodily harm, wielding a knife in a public place, aggravated entering of a dwelling knowing people were inside as well as eleven counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception – to name only a few.

But those offences barely scratch the surface of Monaghan’s extensive criminal record.

As Judge Graham gave his sentencing remarks the court heard Monaghan had been in trouble with the law since he was just 13.

With his head bowed below in the box Monaghan sat unmoving as Judge Graham read out his previous criminal history.

Offences included a string of break and enters, taking a knife to school, assaulting a police officer with a weapon as well as other assaults to again name only a few.

From an “unremarkable” childhood with none of the usual factors found in the backgrounds of most offenders, Monaghan appeared to have lost his way in his early teens from Judge Graham’s sentencing remarks.

Often in trouble at school from the age of 13 he began to use drugs including cannabis and methylamphetamine and to binge drink.

At the age of 16 he was using methylamphetamine daily.

The court heard Monaghan had said he had begun intravaneous administration of the drug in his early 20s to feel good and to numb negative feelings he was having.

In a report made by a psychologist Monaghan previously expressed his frustration that no one had helped him in his previous incarcerations.

From his perspective, he said, there was more of a focus on punishment than rehabilitation.

Judge Graham noted Monaghan would require a great deal of professional support into the future having been institutionalised for most of his life.